Cattleya in Semi hydroponic

[SouthPark]

The glass container has holes drilled into down toward the base region, right?

[yug]

If you use Ray's Kelpmax, it will encourage new root growth. Ask him, or check out his website "FirstRays.com"

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by yug

If you use Ray's Kelpmax, it will encourage new root growth. Ask him, or check out his website "FirstRays.com"

The person is in Écuador.

[InnaK]

Does the bowl has a drainage? It's very eye pleasing setup no doubt, LECA in a glass bowl, but in my opinion it will promote rot on roots, for lack of proper ventilations. For past year I have been repotting my cattleyas into mix of LECA, perlite chunks and charcoal pieces, but in net pots, or plastic pots with lots of holes which I make myself. I find air movement around cattleya roots to be a critical factor. Since I live in four season climate and keep cattleyas on windowsill during cold season, it is somewhat challenging to keep humidity around the plants and to prevent root dryness when they are planted in LECA and net pots, and yet I still see better results with this arrangement that allows for better air movement around the roots.

---------- Post added at 12:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 PM ----------

P.S. I would remove some LECA material not to block growing points, I think the catt is planted too deep

[SouthPark]

True ....... I agree with Innak ------ it just appears that the glass container has no drainage holes. And the bases of the bulbs could be too much beneath the surface.

It's possible that root and bulb rot could occur here. Hoping that doesn't occur though.

Also - with LECA - some care will be needed to avoid toppling over of container --- or it could end in tears if the beads all come out and rolls around on the floor.

[Shadeflower]

I don't use a hole. It's not really needed. All the hole serves is as an overflow so it allows for easy flushing but otherwise it is very easy just to fill the bowl by 2 cm which would be the same as filling the bowl and having an overflow hole drilled 2 cm's up.

The point of a vase is to keep humidity in. As long as an airy substrate is used then air holes are not needed to be drilled all around.

We all have to find what works, in a slatted basket or net pot there is tons or ventilation so a siffernt substrate needs to be used and in a closed vase lecca does well because it is very airy and would dry too much in a net pot.

So I don't provide air holes and it should be fine without them imo.

I just wouldn't use that vase because the only way to remove it once the roots get established would be to smash it

[WaterWitchin]

I have similar pots, with Catts in them, and they are fine. I do drill the hole, because for me it's easier to flush each time I water.

As long as the rhizome isn't more than a layer or so down on the growing tip(s) it's positioned fine. I presume the pbulb that's further down could be likely more than a layer or two down... I do that a lot when transplanting.

That's a beautiful Cattleya by the way!

---------- Post added at 09:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:26 AM ----------

PS All my Catts are in SH. They do just fine.